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Tom Cunningham - Premium Member

Notes About The Poem

Picture credit - rabbijesus.com

In the 1930s America, people were encouraged to go west and take up land for farming. They were mainly city folk who had little knowledge of farming, they dug down too deep tearing up the grasses that held the soil together, then when the winds came it caused giant clouds of red dust and became known as the dust bowl. The lack of rain at that time made the soil brittle and loose, a recipe for disaster.

The Dust Bowl

The plains soil had turned dry
No rains made the crops die 

Red dust was everywhere 
That just made the land bare 

The harm they did not see 
Dry farm way was the key 

How to farm they knew not 
Winds blew away the lot.


Written 1st of July 2020. 
For Verses In Essence - 8 Lines Poetry Contest. 
Sponsored By Joseph May.

Copyright © Tom Cunningham | Year Posted 2020

americafarmnatural disastersverse

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October 2, 2022 at 12:59 PM

Woody Guthrie died of Huntington's Disease the same thing my grandson has. He was a gifted man. I enjoyed reading your work. Thanks for sharing and for dropping by my page. Sara

October 3, 2022 at 12:54 AM

Thank you Sara, hope alls well, I'm touring again so in and out of Soup, greetings from Italy. Tom

July 16, 2020 at 1:35 PM

You've painted a true picture of the days from past Tom. Well penned and I love this song by Woody Guthrie. Congratulations on your win. Blessings :)

July 16, 2020 at 1:51 PM

Thank you very much Aditi, I'm happy you liked it, I first heard that song about 40 years ago, he was a big influence on Bob Dylan. Tom

July 11, 2020 at 3:08 PM

The Grapes of Wrath does come to mind, Very nicely penned Tom, Congrats on your win..

July 11, 2020 at 3:54 PM

Thank you very much Joseph, that is one of his best books, he's a brilliant writer. Thanks too for hosting. Tom

William Kelii Kekaula

July 11, 2020 at 2:50 PM

Ah! Steinbeck's "The Grapes Of Wrath" resonates, Tom, chiefly done my friend and my compliments on your win -- Aloha~@William

July 11, 2020 at 3:52 PM

Thank you William, I loved his books. Tom

Andrea Dietrich

July 11, 2020 at 2:03 PM

The dust bowl days were very sad times. You showed it well, Tom. Congrats on your win.

July 11, 2020 at 2:18 PM

Thank you Andrea, they were indeed, thankfully there's been nothing like it since. Tom

July 11, 2020 at 1:44 PM

A fine poem, Tom--a WINNER! Janice

July 11, 2020 at 2:16 PM

Thank you very much Janice, it must have been horrendous for the people living in the Midwest at that time. Tom

Paula Goldsmith

July 11, 2020 at 12:14 PM

Congratulations on your win. Thanks for starting off with the picture and story. A great write. When one thinks of the 1930s in America, it was a hard time. Guess 2020 will also be remembered as hard times. Enjoy your win and day............

July 11, 2020 at 12:53 PM

Thank you Paula, it was a dark time for those poor folk back then, and you're right 2020 will also be looked on in the future as a dark time Hope you're well Enjoy your weekend Tom

July 5, 2020 at 11:33 AM

As always my friend, great poetry. A fav.. God bless.

July 5, 2020 at 11:38 AM

Thank you Robert, a dark time in American history. Tom

Jennifer Proxenos

July 5, 2020 at 10:54 AM

Hi Tom - A lovely write and the essence of you poem is evident, guess, we are lucky we don't get those kind of sand storms here either. Although with climate change happening very fast, the land will become dryer and dryer until no crops can be grown. We think the pandemic is bad - 10 15 years from now water and food will be short. Good luck in the contest Tom, Blessings, Jennifer.

July 5, 2020 at 11:01 AM

Thank you Jennifer, hope you are well, it's a grim forecast but I think you're right, back then they didn't have knowledge to farm properly and dug up protective grasses, and now we have knowledge and still abuse our planet, climate change is real. Tom

July 4, 2020 at 11:34 PM

G'day Tom … I don't have to imagine what dust storms are like Tom. I have been amongst a few, but one particular dust storm sticks in my mind. The dust was so thick it turned on street lights at midday, and then it rained red mud so what a mess - thank you Tom - Lindsay

July 5, 2020 at 2:41 AM

I've only seen them on TV, looks a real frightening experience, We can't really moan about our weather as its rain, rain and more bloody rain lol

Timothy Mcguire

July 2, 2020 at 9:30 PM

My mum and dad lived through it.

July 3, 2020 at 4:00 AM

They were certainly dark times Timothy. It proved one thing, you can't work against nature, you have to work with it. Tom

July 2, 2020 at 1:35 PM

Storyteller with guitar! Your poem is great, Tom! Do you tell stories to those around you or in poems only? You’re a fun poet! One of my favorites!

July 2, 2020 at 1:51 PM

Thank you very much Kim, I've read tons of books and I suppose it's rubbed off in my poems, I wrote a few for a family reunion both sad and funny but mainly on here now Tom

Demetrios Trifiatis

July 2, 2020 at 7:26 AM

I had read about it my friend, Tom but I did not know the reason it happened! Your introduction made it clear to me! A powerful, beautiful and informative poem that captivates the reader with its lyrics! Good luck my friend!

July 2, 2020 at 9:09 AM

Thank you very much Demetrios. It could have been avoided as dry farming methods were nothing new as they'd been used for a long time in drought ridden areas, but being from the city they knew little about any kind of farming. Tom

July 2, 2020 at 6:32 AM

wow... I could see the prairie and the dust blowing...you took me back in time on a journey I enjoyed! You have the ability to bring any moment in time to life and I enjoy all the adventures through your words! Great Writing Tom :) hugs

July 2, 2020 at 6:50 AM

Thank you very much Sandra, It was hard trying to say so much in eight lines, I'm happy you enjoyed it. Tom

July 2, 2020 at 6:27 AM

My favourite book is 'The Grapes Of Wrath', so this piece really appeals to me. A good write and a good read, Tom.

July 2, 2020 at 6:49 AM

Thank you Lawrence, Steinbeck wrote some brilliant works and that is certainly one of them. Tom

Charles Messina

July 2, 2020 at 6:06 AM

Great write, Tom. Always a pleasure to read your stories. Best wishes in the contest. By the way, for some reason I can't comment on my contest to some folks, so Congratulations on your win in my contest. I will try again. Hope all is well. Charlie

July 2, 2020 at 6:40 AM

Thank you very much Charlie on both counts and also for hosting the contest. alls well here and I hope that you are too. Tom

Besma Riabi Dziri

July 2, 2020 at 3:32 AM

What is amazing in your poetry, is that you render in great richness, rhyming verses and eloquence what we do live in the mundane! The gift of the poet! I so much enjoyed the read, Tom! I'm so glad your pen floods with beauty despite the drought! My deepest regards and blessings.

July 2, 2020 at 4:23 AM

Thank you very much Besma, it was a dark time in American history, inexperienced farmers added to the disaster. I hope you are well. Tom

Caren Krutsinger

July 2, 2020 at 3:02 AM

I had no idea that this was what caused the dustbowl; you are so many steps ahead! I enjoyed the history lesson and the poem Tom.

July 2, 2020 at 4:16 AM

Thank you Caren, there were deep grasses holding the soil but when that was taken out there was nothing to hold it in the strong prairie winds. Tom

July 2, 2020 at 1:53 AM

Seems like sand storms in Saudi Arabia.. New information about past life.. And you composed it very well Tom.. Great Entry.. Good luck..

July 2, 2020 at 4:13 AM

Thank you Jenish, those sandstorms must be awesome to see but unpleasant for those caught up in it. Tom

July 1, 2020 at 11:04 PM

Tom wow I love your history lesson. So sad they dug too deep. Struggling people trying to make it out west. The storms of life we face. Love the song and this incredible piece. Be well my friend...

July 2, 2020 at 4:11 AM

Thank you Michael, they only wanted to better their lives but lacked farming experience. Tom

July 1, 2020 at 6:01 PM

That's one scary photograph, Tom. It made me think about the desert sand that was reportedly flying over the states, but I saw no sign of the clouds. Perhaps that's one good thing about being shut in. lol I hope you're well and keeping safe.

July 2, 2020 at 4:09 AM

Thank you very much Lin, reminded me a while back when sand from the Sahara blew in covered everything with a fine coat of red dust, I'm OK, I hope you are too. Tom

July 1, 2020 at 5:05 PM

such stark times indeed Tom, well penned:-) hugs jan xx

July 1, 2020 at 5:18 PM

Thank you Jan, it must have been horrendous for the farmers, they used to get up in the morning to layers of red dust in every room. Tom

Panagiota Romios

July 1, 2020 at 4:50 PM

Historical genius poet, you.can share wih Eddie as a way to understand history. Thank you for your delightful gifts to us here. Panagiota xx

July 1, 2020 at 4:57 PM

Thank you Panagiota, they were dark times, I hadn't heard of it until I heard that song by Woody Guthrie. I wrote an anthology a while back. Tom

July 1, 2020 at 4:29 PM

Thank you Tom for your background note--farming is not easy as your poem so well illustrates. Your double rhymes work splendidly to tell the story.

July 1, 2020 at 4:46 PM

Thank you Vijay, the chance to own land in the mid West and escape city life was too good a chance to miss but inexperience played a big part in creating the disaster known as the Dust bowl. Tom

Robert L. Hinshaw

July 1, 2020 at 4:16 PM

Great write, Tom, in which you accurately depicted the plight of many. I remember as a kid living in Indiana and seeing, as we noted it: "There goes Oklahome, Kansas, etc, flying over" since we could see the dust moving in the sky. Fortunately we were not affected directly by the dust bowl dust storms. Stay safe.

July 1, 2020 at 4:29 PM

Thank you very much Robert, if only they'd known about the dry farming methods then there wouldn't have been such a disaster, I read that the red dust travelled all the way to New England in wintertime and there was red snow falling because of the dust. Hope you are well. Tom

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